EAST VINCENT >> At least 50 cows escaped injury Wednesday as a fire ripped through a barn on Ridge Road, leaving the structure destroyed.
A large fire broke out at Ridge Star Farm at 259 Ridge Road early Wednesday morning requiring assistance from several area fire companies. Authorities said the fire was reported at around 7:36 a.m. and was fully involved.
“Any time you have a barn fire, the difficulty is that it’s a rural area and we have to shut all the water in,” said Roger Kolb, deputy chief of Ridge Fire Company. “That ended up not being the big problem. It’s just that once the barn gets started it’s hard to stop a barn fire. We had the water set up but the outcome is usually the same when you get a barn fire like this.”
The two-alarm blaze destroyed a barn that was used for storing items like hay, according to Kolb. The nearby barn that’s used for milking cows had to be evacuated as well.
“The second part of the barn where they milk the cows, there were about 50 cows inside,” said Kolb. “They got all the cows out. This part of the barn was used for storing hay and feed and is 100 percent destroyed whereas the cow part of the barn, we were able to save about 75 percent of that.”
Authorities used ladder hoses and fought the fire from the ground as tankers from several area fire departments lined Ridge Road. The blaze took about two hours to get under control.
Kolb said authorities are speculating that the fire started in the milking area of the barn and that fire marshals from Pennsylvania State Police and Chester County are investigating the cause.
No injuries were reported.
Ridge Road remained shut down for several hours at Seven Stars Road as first responders worked at the scene.
Ridge Fire Company, Liberty Fire Company, Spring City Fire Company, Royersford Fire Company, West End Ambulance and Fire, Friendship Ambulance, Limerick Fire Company, Valley Forge Fire Company, Linfield Fire Company, Valley Forge Fire Company and Perkiomen Fire Company all responded to the scene.
The owners of the farm were identified by their church pastor as James and Darlene Miller. Christ’s Church of the Valley has set up a GoFundMe account to assist the Millers with fire relief.
“It’s just tragic. The Millers have been a powerful influence in our community for many, many years,” said Brian Jones, pastor at Christ’s Church of the Valley. “They’re loved by people in our church. They served in our children and student ministry, gone on mission trips with high school students. They are so beloved and we feel this is an opportunity to give back to them after giving so much to our community and church family as well.”
The page has already raised over $1,000 of its $25,000 goal after being active for only a few hours. Those looking to donate can visit www.gofundme.com/miller-family-fire-relief.
